Musings of a skeptical housewife. Skepticism. Science. Feminism. Etc.

In which I eat my words about the ICP

17/07/2010

Ugh…

I’m embarrassed to admit this now, but I’ve been defending the Insane Clown Posse.
Why?
Because I have one of their albums.

I have a burned copy (no, I didn’t pay money for that crap) of Riddle Box that I obtained about 11 years ago. It’s kind of funny. It’s full of the filthiest lyrics and a dark sense of humour that my 18 year old self found funny. Still, there are a couple of songs that make me nostalgic for those days.

Several months ago, they released that “Miracles” (lyrics NSFW) song and video and the skeptical blog world erupted in apoplectic rage. I, stupid monkey that I am, clung to my belief that they were probably being satirical. After all, in “Cemetery Girl” (lyrics even more NSFW) they talk about digging up a dead girlfriend with the intent, I assume, of continuing the relationship. They can’t be serious about that, surely. These guys play characters. It must be that the characters, Shaggy and Violent J, are anti-science knobs as well as murderers, necrophiliacs and rapists of underage girls (see “Lil’ Somethin Somethin” (lyrics EXTREMELY NSFW)), not the actual guys themselves…right?

But it seems that I was wrong.

About the anti-science part, anyway.

I can’t speak for sure about the other stuff. 😉

I decided to actually dig deeper into the story tonight. What kind of skeptic would I be if I didn’t challenge my own beliefs? I found, among the science blogs who lost their proverbial shit over the song, this blog, written by Joshua Zelinsky who already did the research I was trying to do. Which led me to this statement from Violent J which seems sincere, and sadly so.

What makes me sad is that Violent J mistakes a scientific worldview as being devoid of wonder. He couldn’t be more wrong, at least in my case. Sure, there is wonder in everything “Miracles” talks about, even if they ain’t miracles. When I was pregnant, it was really hard for me to not refer to what was happening as a miracle, because although technically, it’s the opposite, it was truly astounding. I mean, it happens all the time and it was basically my body doing what evolution prepared it for. That’s not a miracle. But growing a baby in my body? The fact that there was going to be a totally new person because of one afternoon of couchpassion? How can you not be totally blown away by that! Science doesn’t take that feeling away! It ENHANCES it!

I guess Violent J said it best himself: “What’s a miracle is the fact that…Insane Clown Posse will never die.”*

Yes, Juggalos are a miracle. It’s a miracle that anyone over 18 listens to these guys. It’s a miracle that they’re still around even though their music and lyrics haven’t evolved. It’s a miracle that anyone can be so ignorant, hateful and behind the times and have such a huge following. It’s a freakin’ miracle that such a one trick pony, terrible-ass rapper as Violent J keeps an even worse rapper like Shaggy around. Oh wait, he does that so he doesn’t appear as sucky as he actually is.

I suppose all this makes me a hater. Well, for once in my life, it’s nice to be the “big dumb, popular jock.” I’m used to those guys shouting death threats at me from their buddy’s car as they drive past me after the homecoming parade until I run up and kick the car door with my purple steel toe boots (true story). Hmm. That was around the time when I thought ICP was cool… Well, live and learn, I guess.

*Ok, I removed some relevant words and completely changed the meaning of his statement.